


Saving Everyone but Myself [Itachi] [Revised Edition]

by CupcakesandNovels



Category: Naruto
Genre: Betrayal, F/M, Family Issues, Love, Protective Siblings, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-30
Updated: 2016-04-30
Packaged: 2018-06-05 11:26:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6702868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CupcakesandNovels/pseuds/CupcakesandNovels
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>*Originally posted on quotev- same author, but revised edition</p>
<p>Revised Edition of Saving Everyone but Myself [Itachi] .<br/>My people were always hated, despised for their way of life. Yet now, after they had been exiled and murdered, two of Suna's most pivotal shinobi have Gypsy blood running through their veins. Because of this hatred of my people, but lust for our power, I been lower than dirt and also one of the most trusted and powerful shinobi in the ninja world...<br/>But all of this must come at a cost...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Saving Everyone but Myself [Itachi] [Revised Edition]

Looking out towards the horizon as a fellow shinobi sprinted far ahead, now too far away from the team to even been called a member, the young leader shook his head as he paced through the sand, still slightly on guard through his home lay only a few miles away. Though this did not cause him to become tense, for from his birth, he had been trained that every team needed a balancer, and even if he be the leader on rare occasion as such, he was going to remain a calm and collected balancer. And so, raising his eyebrow, the blue eyed swordsman just gave me one of those smiles that you’d receive when you knew something was wrong, but you would laugh about in the end. “You know, when your brother told me that he had to skip out on this mission, I didn’t think that he would send us out with Raiko. Never thought that she would ever make it to our ranks again…” Hiro murmured out as the pair of us continued our journey back to Suna, our mission nearly complete.

Combatting that smile, I glanced at him before looking forward ahead at Raiko, who was sprinting about three kilometers in front of Hiro and I, just barely in our sight. She was certainly a character, and teamwork was not something that she excelled in, especially since she was now doing everything in her power to beat us to the village, even though she had placed as a temporary teammate. With a glance back to the one who I had called one of my closest companions for the good majority of my life, I tried to reason with him. “Be kind Hiro,” I offered up in the chunin’s defense, “She’s just trying to compete; I feel a bit bad for her, honestly.” I admitted as I gingerly walked through the sand dunes, doing my best to stay relatively stable in order not to wake the sleeping three year old in my arms.

As he heard my reply, Hiro chuckled a bit and turned his head toward me, “Usual response for you, but why do you feel bad for her?” he questioned, knowing my character all too well, but always amused by it. “You know she’s doesn’t like either of us, and besides, she’s been a pain and a liability this whole mission; she needs to be on a chunin team, not a jonin.” The white haired eighteen year old stated the dead honest truth as if everyone should have know the simple knowledge. That was the ironic thing about Hiro, he was good at being a peacemaker, but he was also the one on the team who was going to tell you the god honest truth whether it hurt or not, but being on the team and in the ranks as he was, you needed that.

I shrugged at his response, not too surprised. If he were to be the realist, I was the optimist; or vice versa depending on the moment. It was partially just how our relationship worked; it was balanced. “Well, I mean, she was originally in our class, then you got out when you were ten, along with Kane. Then I got out when I was eight, simply because the village wanted Kane and I to stay together, which wasn’t something entirely fair. And I don’t think she liked having to wait till she was thirteen to graduate, even if she needed it. I mean, just think about it, even now she’s only a chunin, and we’re up with the high jonin. I’d feel bad if I was her,” I explained my reasoning; even the world’s greatest sinner needed a chance at defense, and if I had to defend a helpless sinner, I would.

He smiled, and just gently shook his head at me and all those thought that went through my head. “But of course in the end, you’d rather have Kane here instead of her?” he asked raising an eyebrow, stopping my idealization of the current situation, and bringing out a truth that we both knew very well.

And I did not deny this truth as I looked forward to the kunoichi running in front of us, “Yes, I would. I’d pick Kane over her any day, even if him I and are in one of our spats. It makes our lives easier and our team stronger having him here. He works better with us than any other Suna shinobi, and he’s a damn good battle strategist…” I trailed off thinking of the shinobi who mimicked me so. “It honestly surprises me that the village separated me and him for this mission.” I added on, looking over to Hiro almost as if I knew that he was well aware of how such a strange of an occasion it was to not have him here. . There were few times in our lives where Kane and I had been separated, but that could contribute to how we had come into the village, yet that was something no one ever really spoke about in the modern day. Still, it was rare that the village forced us to separate. 

In the current day, all that mattered to the village and those who I was surrounded by was the fact Hiro, Kane, and I made up one of the Suna’s highest and youngest jonin teams, and had been blessed with such gifts and opportunities that enable us to serve our country as so. Normally Suna had tried to refrain from placing siblings on teams, especially if it were two siblings and one other as in our team, because it was common that situations like that could cause rifts in the teams and had the possibility of putting unnecessary strain on the village. Still there were few exceptions in the village, and we were one of them. We had all gotten an exception from the Elders in the village, something that shocked me at the time, and still surprised me today. Though when I thought of it, Kane and I had gotten a lot of acceptations throughout our lives, but that those exceptions were now hidden within our past, and in the end, I didn’t really think the conditions in which Kane and I had gotten where we were today mattered as long as our team completed the missions and protected Suna faithfully.

Unfortunately, since Kane had recently become one of the lead battle coordinators in the village, he had been pulled from this mission to help deal with the impending attack on Konoha. They needed him in there more than Hiro and I needed him; the village knew that Hiro and I worked together almost effortlessly, and so they took their opportunity and stripped us from our complete team. The Elders needed someone like him to assist in the attack of the Fire Country, and with the skill set that he carried and his connection to a critical team, he was a pivotal part to their planning. Part of me thought that it was pathetic that we had to attack one of the other Five Great Shinobi Villages, but at the same time, I’d rather have Suna thrive than be in troubled times like they were now; rather survive by dark means than die without trying.

And as he planned out the unleashment of the One Tail, Hiro and I were sent out on an A ranked mission; couldn’t have missions stop and have Suna fall anymore into the recession they were already in. It was alright though; a pretty basic A ranked mission, locate and save the princess of one of the smaller, yet powerful villages in the Land of Wind, something that was not a big deal for Hiro and I. The father had been kidnapped three days before we were sent, and it was our job to protect the little three year old girl and bring her back to the Sand village for safety. Rogue ninjas were expected to come after the girl, yet we had seen none, so really it felt like a B-rank, possibly a C, but it didn’t matter as long as Hiro and I had accomplished it and made sure Raiko didn’t mess it up. A successful A-rank would help her resume a bit.

Raising an eyebrow, Hiro smirked and he placed his hands in pockets, “It’s cute that you’re having separation anxiety from you big brother.” he joked, bringing me back into the present moment. “Kane would love to hear that you don’t feel as safe without him here.” he chuckled out, knowing that his statement went against both my character and my brother’s. Kane was protective, but he knew very well that I could carry myself on my own.

And with that comment, he received a glare that could have killed. “Shut up, Hiro. I can do a lot on my own, you always seem to forget than I’m a very lethal kunoichi.” I offered up.

His laughed continued for a second. “Oh, I know that, Kana. I wouldn’t want any other girl by my side if I were going into a massacre.” he complimented that playful smirk still painted across his face.

“Actually, you’d want Kane, because he doesn’t care about his victims.” I interjected. “I’m lethal, but morally obligated as a healer to save lives, not take.” I smirked right back, countering him simply because I could.

Again, he shrugged, “Eh, still would rather have you.”

“More likely to die if you have me.”

Shaking his head, he laughed. “First off, I wouldn’t die, because you’re a medical nin, a damn good one at that. I’d have to be in pretty rough shape for you not to be able to save me. And second, even if I were to die, you should know by now that you’re worth dying for.” he admitted, a more genuine smile coming across.

Glancing over at him, I spoke words that would have been almost hard to believe at one point in my life, “Really? If I asked you to do a task, a task that would go against what you believe to be best, you’d do it for me?” I asked, not entirely being seriously, not entirely kidding.

Hiro continued to walk as his view shifted forward, “You should know that already, Kana.” he offered up quietly before he stopped in his tracks and placed one hand on the hilt of one of his swords. Glancing back behind him, he turned and faced the opposite horizon. “They’re roughly three hundred meters back.” he stated firmly, no longer carry that light tone in his voice. His words were strung tight, the shinobi who had fought so many battles coming back after not having to worry about what lie ahead.

I simply nodded to him, already as aware as he. “I know,” I stated before offering up details, “There are three; they’ve been following for about the last hour or so, yet they are now speeding up…” I trailed off, not quite sure to whether or not our earlier decision to just let them be was correct or not. The hadn’t come out right and attacked us, but they also did hide as if they were going to ambush us, so we hadn’t worried too much about them, but with their sudden speed change, maybe that was a mistake.

“What do you think…?” Hiro asked, looking in the direction of our home, which lie only about three miles away at this point. If he didn’t have to fight, he wasn’t going to, because we currently had guardianship over a child- a child with very high prestige, and if anything were to happen to the girl before we made it back into the village, not only would we be looked badly upon, but the guilt of allowing a helpless child to be harmed would be nearly consuming.

I sighed, knowing that all of that was going through his head. “We’re so close, and I really rather not get Raiko involved or wake up the child… “ I trailed off, doing my best to analyze the situation. With a glance back in the direction of the upcoming strangers, I just shook my head, “If they speed up anymore, or come any closer, then we will think of attacking, but they could always just be merchants for another village.” I offered up my insight, trying to balance out a plan. 

And for a moment, Hiro continued to look in the direction of the strangers, something bothering him, but he wasn’t going to say anything about it. Looking back to me, he nodded and tried back into whatever the previous conversation was. “So, you wanna take advantage of Kane working tonight and come with me? You know, just you and me?” he asked, making something that was a common practice seem as if were a big deal.

Knowing what he meant, I gave a curious smile over to the young shinobi, “Something finally official? Well, I mean, if you buy sweets, then sure, how could I pass that up.” I teased, my smile continuing. Will you buy sweets?” I asked raising my eyebrow.

Already knowing that my blood was probably made up of sugar, He just chuckled, “I swear, Konoha could come up to you, and beg you to become one of their medical nin, and you agree just because they gave you a bag of candy.” he joked.

“Um, you should of all people should know I would never leave Suna willingly.” I retorted, keeping my tone light on a subject that should have been heavy. Though this light tone to the conversation wasn’t meant to stay for long, for in the next few moment, the man beside me changed from a calm and playful companion, to a stern and ruthless shinobi.

Turning around and instantly glaring, Hiro spoke coldly to those who had been following us, “What do you all want?” he interrogated, his current persona far from the one that I knew. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see him grip onto one of his swords, silently indicating to me that whoever these strangers were, they seemed dangerous.

And if Hiro silent communication wasn’t enough, the next phrase spoke was something that I never thought I would hear again. In a rough and scratchy voice, something that seemed as if a monster out of a nightmare growled at Hiro, “We want the Gypsy.”

Almost as if they had flipped a switch, I instantly turned around to see who used such a term as that. Even the word ‘Gypsy’ had become obsolete almost a decade ago; ever since the village had their Purge. Coming around, I faced three beings wearing black cloaks graced with red clouds. The one who I assumed to be the one speaking, wore a bandana over his mouth, and looked as he was all hunched over, almost as if he was crawling; truly a monster from a nightmare. On either side of him, there stood two other beings who looked equally as threatening, but more human like, which didn’t make it any better to be honest.

Still caught up that he asked for a Gypsy, I shook my head slowly at the team. It was such an unheard epithet nowadays, that it sounded almost like a curse and not a type of forgotten people. It caused me to become uneasy, and with that uneasiness, I tightened my grip on the small child and spoke in a steady tone, “Gypsies no longer exist in this world, they were all killed a decade ago. Besides, why would you want a Gypsy? All they ever were was a group of low lying thieves and liars; nothing decent ever came from them.” I snapped out, my words cold as the truth was spoken.

Hearing the bitterness that saturated my words, Hiro shifted his gaze quickly to me, not necessarily surprised that I would say something as such, but not expecting it. Normally I wouldn’t speak so unjustly about things, but he knew better with such a topic. Quickly put his attention back on the three enemies, he interjected before any fight could be started, “We have no Gypsies here in Suna; they were all taken care off long ago,” He admitted, his voice apathetic towards the subject and the strangers..

“Suna shinobi….” The one who was hunched over began again, seeming as if he were going to say something important to us, but then just snapped out words as if they were venom. “Pathetic as ever…” he growled.

As the center one made that remark, the one on the left slowly took off his straw hat to reveal his face. A cocky smile stretched across his young looking demeanor, which was accompanied by blue eyes and blonde hair that had half tied up in a ponytail, half down, and a partial bit covering his left eye. He was no older than I, only 16 years, yet he by the way he was presented, he seemed just as skilled as I or Hiro. I shouldn’t have been surprised that other villages had young and skilled shinobi, but as I went to look to his forehead protector to see where he came from, all I saw was a thick scratch deliberately carved into the metal plate. I had never seen anyone do that to a headband before, but I didn’t get a moment to think about it, for the teenager began to speak. “You sure don’t like your home village, Sasori no danna.” The blonde chuckled as he looked or to the one who was hunched over.

Instantly, I shot a glance to Hiro after hearing the statement, yet he looked as equally shocked as I did. Sasori of the Red Sand was no minor ninja, and if were to truly be him, then Hiro and I were in some serious trouble at the moment. Neither of us had any skill in the art of puppets, and for it to be someone of Sasori’s caliber, we’d definitely have a fight on our hands. Quickly, Hiro regained his composure as he started to stall the group in order to gain a few moments to think of a plan, “Sasori of the Red Sand left the village years ago. Are you saying he has returned?” he asked, well aware that such a thing would never happen, but if it gave him thirty seconds to think of a plan, he was going to take it.

“Return to that village… ?” the center one questioned, but answered it himself, “I’m surprised that it hasn’t died out yet.” He muttered in disgust. There was obvious tones of despise for the land in his voice, but from the stories I had heard of Sasori’s final days as a Suna shinobi, that didn’t surprise me. Yet as he spoke words against my country, instead of fighting his verbal attacks, I used my time more wisely. Discretely, I slide out a vial of a very weak poison from my belt that was currently hidden by the child who I was still holding. She was still partially asleep at the moment, but was starting to stir, and that was something that I could not have happening with these rogues in front on me. I knew it wasn’t the most ethical thing, but still I gently injected the little girl with the harmless poison. It wouldn’t hurt her, only cause her to sleep for another two hours or so, which was what Hiro and I needed with the situation at hand.

Almost as if the whole moment bored him too much for his liking the man on the right spoke with a monotone voice that was hard to pull anything from, “Let’s just get this over with.”

Hearing the order, the blonde one chuckled, almost as if he knew that the next moments were going to play to his advantage. “Let’s teach these two about art, hm” he declared as reached into a bag on his belt.

Following along the the blonde’s action, Hiro quickly grabbed for his twin broadswords from their holster that was slung across his back, unsure on what he was doing, but still prepared. Neither of us knew what was going to happen, and not having any information on our opponents, or their fighting style didn’t help. And so Hiro stood ready for combat, wielding the two identical swords, still not sure what the next few moment held.

Seeing this, the blonde just continued that stupid smirk, like he owned the world, and the just tossed a small, moving clay figure out toward us.

For a moment the pair of us stared at the small figure that slightly resembled a miniature cow, never having seen anything like it during our time as shinobi. And as the small object continued to walk towards us, Hiro just narrowed his eyes down at it. “What the hell is this?” Hiro finally snapped, slicing on the small figure with his sword as he spoke, thinking that destroying the object would stop whatever attack the blonde had planned. Yet as he did this, his sword seemed to get caught in the substance that made the little creature, which forced Hiro to let go of his beloved weapon.

Seeing this, I glanced up to the blonde, and in the split second, I saw the blonde chuckle and start to put his hands together in a seal. Instantly knowing that this was something that neither of us had dealt with and had little knowledge on what was going to happen, I snapped out at Hiro. “Back!” I yelled as I jumped backwards, still unsure of what was going to happen, but being precautious. And my precaution proved to be in our favor, for as I was still in mid-jump I heard the guy yell something else, but couldn’t make anything else out, because the little figurine caused an explosion far greater than any normal bomb should have caused.

“ That’s what you call real art, hm” the blonde smirked looking toward me as I landed, cradling the child as best as I could despite just barely missing the bomb..

“I’ve never been one for art, but according to what you just said, real art just blinds you, and leaves your vulnerable…” Hiro offered up as he now stood behind the blonde teen with a kunai against his neck. “Those clouds that your clay bombs leave behind were a great way to hide and get over to you.” Hiro shrugged, almost playing with the teenager. Hiro was quick; no doubt about that, and so had taken the opportunity to gang up on the blonde and get what we both needed in order to win this battle. Sighing, he frowned as he looked forward to the burnt sand, “You blew up my sword. Do you realize how much trouble those are to make?” he asked calmly as he brought the kunai to the back of his neck and slid the edge of the blade against the vertebrae in his neck, so that you could hear the blade going across the bone, now just playing with the kid.

What Hiro did was nothing close to a lethal cut, but he wasn’t looking for a lethal injury, just one that drew blood; that was all we needed. And once I was that he had enough blood on the blade, I called out to the jonin. “Hiro.” My words were cold, but he knew it was a warning. With enemies like theses, there was no room to play around, and if we had the upper hand at the moment, we needed to end the fight right them. And with a small nod, he quickly turned to his right to see a large metal tail from the center ninja coming straight at him. The tail came at him with incredible speed, a speed that honestly shocked me, because Hiro was just barely quick enough to dodge it. He was just fast enough to miss the initial hit and pull out the sword that hadn’t been blown up to block the tail from coming in contact.

Deflecting the tail and forcing it to pull back before delivering a second strike, Hiro darted back over to where I stood, still holding the blood cover kunai that was crucial to our win, or at least to us getting enough time to win. Almost instantly handing the dripping kunai over and taking the child away from me, he raised an eyebrow, “You sure?” he questioned, knowing that this wasn’t the smartest idea to leave me alone, but we didn’t really have a choice. We were not strong enough to take on these three without any knowledge on them, and besides it was already an unfair fight, and if I could stall them until Hiro could bring back up, then that is what I’d do. Giving him a nodded, I tried to reassure him, “Just get backup as soon as possible. I can hold ‘em off now.” I spoke as I kept on eye on the enemy and twisted the kunai around in my hand.

Giving me one last look, Hiro copied my nod, not fully wanting to leave me alone with these rogues, but also knowing that he didn’t really have anything better. Our options were limited, and he was quicker than I, and I could barter better with these being, especially with them wanting a Gypsy. So with that in his mind, he started sprinting off toward the village with the little girl, knowing that it had to be this way.

Fully facing the three, I just shook my head as I slid up my right fishnet sleeve to reveal the engraved underneath of my forearm.

And it only took the center one seconds to realize a fact he should have realized a while ago, “You’re the Gypsy...” he trailed off, knowing that his search was over, but he had a fight on his hands.

Slightly cocking my head at him, I gave a small frown, “I haven’t been called a Gypsy since I was a child, but yes. You found me.” I said as I wiped the blood off the kunai and onto the black curses and seals that covered my arm. “Yet… Senpai…” I whispered and I closed my eyes as the seal started to take in all the blood that I had smeared on it, “You seem to forget how dangerous my people were. There was a reason they were all killed in cold blood.” I snapped out as my eyes shot open and I quickly closed my hand into and fist.

And in less than a millisecond, the blonde fell to the ground.


End file.
